Predator Catchers

[Mark-DuCo]

For those of you still on Facebook, I have a page for you to check out. It is PCI: Predator Catchers Indianapolis. It is just a group of ordinary citizens setting up stings to catch chomos(child molesters) and confront them. They film the entire encounter live on Facebook and turn over all their evidence to the police.

There is also one out of Bedford (Bedford Predator Patrol) but he had his page locked on FB, but should be back up this week. He has been filming his on the Indianapolis page. Just yesterday the police arrested 5 chomos due to his efforts.

https://fox59.com/news/crimetracker/indiana-state-police-arrest-5-men-on-child-solicitation-charges/

The videos and number of people they catch is scary.

Just FYI the videos contain some harsh language

 

[fullmetaljesus]

This was popular on youtube and 4chan back in the day.

Seems to be a legally grey area.
How is this not vigilantism?

 

[Mark-DuCo]

This was popular on youtube and 4chan back in the day.

Seems to be a legally grey area.
How is this not vigilantism?

IANAL but they don't do anything other then talk to the people and video tape it to prove that they don't hurt the people or stop them from leaving or anything. Then they turn over all the evidence to the police to handle it.

 

[Mark-DuCo]

They are busting a music teacher right now live. I haven't heard what school he is working at.

ETA: He is standing by a van that says Lebanon Schools. He has admitted to the rather explicit texts to the 14 year old decoy, but still says hes a good guy and hes sorry.

 

[Ziggidy]

Destroying a persons life without a trial?

Maybe not in this case, but I can see it happening.


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[Mark-DuCo]

When you are trying to have sex with kids and give them drugs, and there is written proof and they admit to it, i think it's ok to ruin their lives.

 

[kickbacked]

Whats the point in confronting them? Seems like that would just make them become a flight risk and also could get someone hurt. Why not just present all the evidence collected straight to the police and let them do their job?

 

[Mark-DuCo]

I would think the video taped confession is pretty helpful in court. Especially with this teacher, he told the decoy to meet him at the side door and he would let her in and take her to the supply closet. So the girl filming goes to the side door and there he is holding the door open for her.

 

[flatlander]

When you are trying to have sex with kids and give them drugs, and there is written proof and they admit to it, i think it's ok to ruin their lives.

As short and miserable as their lives should be

Bob

 

[Cameramonkey]

Yeah, normally I'd be all on the side of trials, etc. because what about being sure that you are busting the right person, did they really do it, or is it just somebody using their name, etc?

But when you have a clear case of...
Hi, I'm 14 and I like older men.
Cool. I'm older. Lets do drugs and have sex.
Sounds great!
I'll meet you at Meijer. I'll be in the white candy van. (or come here and I'll open the side door)

And its supposed to be a coincidence that he was there or was holding open a side door for what he thought was a 14yo? No. Lock them up.

Now if the guy said "come to my house" in a chat I could see a problem. How do the police know that its REALLY that guy? What if its someone with an axe to grind and is pretending to be him and sending underage girls to his house? If you hear the doorbell ring and you see a girl standing there and open the door, the cops (or predator patrols) are supposed to bust you right then and there? THAT I would have a problem with.

 

[T.Lex]

What could possibly go wrong.

(Except maybe some kind of MITM scenario by the same kind of people who get a kick out of swatting people.)

 

[HoughMade]

Whats the point in confronting them? Seems like that would just make them become a flight risk and also could get someone hurt. Why not just present all the evidence collected straight to the police and let them do their job?

Views.

 

[Mark-DuCo]

Yeah, normally I'd be all on the side of trials, etc. because what about being sure that you are busting the right person, did they really do it, or is it just somebody using their name, etc?

But when you have a clear case of...
Hi, I'm 14 and I like older men.
Cool. I'm older. Lets do drugs and have sex.
Sounds great!
I'll meet you at Meijer. I'll be in the white candy van. (or come here and I'll open the side door)

And its supposed to be a coincidence that he was there or was holding open a side door for what he thought was a 14yo? No. Lock them up.

Now if the guy said "come to my house" in a chat I could see a problem. How do the police know that its REALLY that guy? What if its someone with an axe to grind and is pretending to be him and sending underage girls to his house? If you hear the doorbell ring and you see a girl standing there and open the door, the cops (or predator patrols) are supposed to bust you right then and there? THAT I would have a problem with.

I fully agree, everyone of the busts these guys do are where they wait in a public place and tell the predator to meet them. They don't go to their houses.

 

[fullmetaljesus]

Views.

And the sweet cash it brings.

 

[JettaKnight]

How is this not giving more power to Facebook and the cancel culture?

Lord knows I got no love for chomos (as you put it), but how do I know this isn't catching someone innocent in this dragnet? What other things does this practice expand in to?


On one hand, I like citizens working to stop crime, on the other hand... it seems like this could good sideways.



In before guns get drawn.

 

[JTScribe]

Definitely a gray area. The news media did something similar with "To Catch a Predator" and "What Would You Do" (the one where they tried to set up NASCAR fans as racist flopped famously) and that was obviously okay. Presumably they were working more closely with law enforcement than an average citizen would be. I honestly think I'd be concerned about a violent reaction in doing this as a private citizen.

Aren't there groups working with the police and doing this sort of thing, just not broadcasting it? I'd say if this is your passion great, but try and do it within some sort of structure with support.

 

[Old Dog]

" What other things does this practice expand in to? On one hand, I like citizens working to stop crime, on the other hand... it seems like this could good sideways."

Private gun sales... they bait you to FTF sale, then try to make you look evil. You know, for the community safety (and the money?).

 

[CZ evo3]

Destroying a persons life without a trial?

Maybe not in this case, but I can see it happening.


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Crimes don't catch more hate than this, and rightfully so. But if someone calls it out on social media, i dont think any court room "not guilty" verdict erases that from the minds of the people.

 

[Ziggidy]

I'm all for people helping in the exposure of creeps in our society, but do it responsibly. Show up with live F/B accusing someone of child solicitation is quite an accusation. Why are they acting as judge and jury before providing alleged evidence to police? How do they know in their effort to fluff their own feathers before going to the police, that they are not in fact spoiling the effort of police (and such) in a sting operation that may in fact bring more than just one perpetrator to justice?

I salute their drive but am not comfortable with all their techniques; I just do not understand it all.

 

[Twangbanger]

Sure better hope your "Geraldo Rivera" podcast video contains enough prima-facie documentation to convict the person on a straight-up, stand alone basis without relying on anything else.

Because if it doesn't...you just scared the creep underground, and probably made the Police's job harder.

Honestly, I can't see the Police going along with this, because unless it's a Mayberry department with literally no resources, I can't see the private eyes doing anything the Police can't do, or do better.

There's a better avenue for these people, and it's called a "Tip." (Of course, tips don't get "views"...)